Never Easy
by Anna Roma
Summary: Love made them suffer and rejoice in their own dwelling and gave them a choice they could not ignore. “I have always wanted you to love me, Aya.” AyaRei. Lemonish.


GALS!

My notes are important (to me, I suppose).

Don't own anything from the show. Making no profit out of this. And as always, I haven't finished the entire season and I missed a few shows to boot. I'm so sorry. This isn't a particularly popular show (I think) but what the hell, here's a story anyway.

I feel this fic is a little redundant in some parts and I'm writing through writer's block (damn hard) so I'm not so creative now. But I really hope you like it all the same. I had a little trouble with tense (this instead of that, was instead of were, etc.) so sorry for that. I am totally unaware of most of the plot so I do apologize if I'm just making things up as I go along. :P However, this is the reason why it's called fan fiction. I can make everything up. :P

Pairing: Aya x Rei (Did she really confess her feelings to him in the show?)

Rating: M

Genre: Romance/Drama/Angst

* * *

_Love made them suffer and rejoice in their own dwelling and gave them a choice they could not ignore. "I have always wanted you to love me, Aya." AyaRei._

* * *

**Never Easy**

**Anna Roma**

* * *

Sex never was a kind force to be reckoned with. It complicated everything and left you sore and disconsolate if you tried to play in the big leagues but didn't know what cards to keep or what to reveal and how much. She had always been a virtuous girl. Her mother taught her morals and the strict upbringing provided by her father reinforced such lessons. She had slipped once in her young life and the sinfulness of the whole ordeal excited her, the wrong she was committing was healing, liberating. Nothing had felt more alive and vivid and the sensations she felt were new and she felt terribly raw. The way that boy touched her – commanding, desperate, rough. No one she knew had the audacity to treat her like how he did, like she was damaged goods, useless, like a whore. The manner in which he spread her legs, how rough the stubble on his cheek had been between her breasts, the sore heat that passed through him and settled into her, she thought she might like it, the unadulterated physical experience that he so eagerly tempted her into foregoing. But she didn't entirely. The empty feeling that resembled a gaping hole in the middle of her chest when morning came didn't make her happy. He told her he could make her happy but he was a liar; he carried the mask of deception and she was a blind fool not to notice it. It was like she didn't get an education anywhere and the longer she stayed with him, the more stupid she felt. She wasn't happy. 

However, when hopelessness was all she could see, she found a new reason to believe she could do better, deserved so much more than what she had.

And that was the time in her life that she met Ran Kotobuki and Miyu. They were like two Ibuprofen pills to sanity or ketchup; they made everything a little bit better. But then there was Rei.

Rei.

Humble, coveted but rightfully so Rei.

She would repeat his name at least twenty times in one afternoon silently and out loud, letting his name roll around her mouth, against her cheeks, over and under her tongue. He was so handsome the first time she saw him. He was tall and articulate, like a gentleman, like a god. She wanted to be part of his religion. She wanted to venerate him wholly. At night, when she was alone in her room thinking of him, she would let her hand travel everywhere on her skin. Pretending he was really with her, she would caress herself gently and moan because she really meant it. She had never wanted to experience tenderness then as much as she wanted to at that point in her life. She would take moments to pause during activities to stop thinking about him because she felt as if she would burst with too much emotion and she would then become insatiable and would pine for him like air and nourishment. He'd mind, she would keep telling herself. Anyone would mind if someone they have no reason to be around would want them in such an intense way. They would feel obligated or uneasy with such attention. Aya would dislike it very much if she made Rei uncomfortable with her feelings.

"Besides," She would reiterate worn-out thoughts. "At the end of the day, they're only feelings. Feelings are…stupid sometimes. And they're my feelings. My feelings are insignificant." And she would close her statements in a whisper.

However, as life and convention would have it – playful elements they are – little did Aya know that Rei would become much more than a concentrated thought for her.

They encountered each other at a trip to the town pool. Ran was insistent they go cool off from the summer heat and Miyu was only glad that Yamato had time to spare from his terrible week of night shifts. As Aya packed her new bikini, a black Brazilian cut piece she bought on a whim in her bag along with her sunscreen oil, her cellphone rang. Ran called to tell her she had invited more people. Aya wanted to ask but held herself after giving thought to it. Only Ran would call, after she couldn't contain herself any longer, if any news of Rei's attendance or participation would be involved. Aya sat down at the edge of her bed after ending the conversation and she inhaled and exhaled repeatedly. She re-considered if she should wear her more conservative piece to the pool. What would Rei think of her when he saw she had no problem with men seeing her in three small triangles of black cloth and barely fifteen inches of thin string around her body? She decided after a few minutes of silence that it wouldn't really matter if she wore the bikini or nothing at all. Rei wouldn't spare a second glance. He was always so cool around her. Cool encased in the solid definition with synonyms such as frigid and indifferent. Surely other women were there that were more developed, so to speak, and more appealing, more of Rei's type. She closed her eyes in sorrow and desperation when the thought of other women with Rei wouldn't depart from her thoughts. How far had they gone with him? Could she ever be at par with them?

Probably not, she thought. With a woman to be by Rei's side, she would have to be simply, with no explanation required, magnificent beyond measure, a woman that would not only compliment his person but would complete him. Although she relished in the fantasy that she was that woman, it was only a fantasy and she would inevitably only yearn for such a position. Yearning, for her, was such a sorry state to be in.

She saw him enter the pool, shirtless and manly. She heard sighs and the water splashing when women turned around or stopped their strokes to get a better look at him from the water. It must've been a wonderful sight to look up at him water level. Looking up at him from such a low point solidified the description of him being divine. Aya felt uncomfortable in her barely-there bikini. She thought to herself that she should have covered more of her body because oddly her skin turned pink with him around. He made his way with Yuya to their group. Ran was already in the water, splashing playfully with Tatsuki. Miyu was still preoccupied with applying sunscreen lotion to Yamato's back. He seemed to be enjoying just having her so near him in public. Yuya gathered momentum and in an instant, ran and tucked his feet in for a cannonball, intentionally to disorient Tatsuki as he made a beeline for Ran.

Aya watched with genuine amusement. A girlish peal of laughter came from her as Tatsuki and Yuya swam to the edge of the pool to compete for Ran's attention as Ran herself stood on the other side with a whistle. She enjoyed these pursuits for her friend because they were truthfully entertaining and at the end of every event, the two competitors would shake their hands and celebrate accordingly. No one was a sore loser.

In her excitement, Aya didn't notice that Rei was standing before her. She glanced up at him and met his piercing eyes. After momentarily melting and a mental note to relax, she heard a string of words she did not expect in any period in her life to hear.

"Let's go for a walk, Aya."

* * *

They were walking along a hallway Aya didn't recognize. She expected him to lead her outside but he went instead into the rest of the compound of the town center. The ceiling was lined in the center with long tubes of fluorescent light and she felt more exposed in her bikini. She didn't even remember to put on a shirt or her skirt because the initial shock wore off when she realized they hadn't said a word to each other from his invitation to now. She started to formulate intelligent and thought-provoking questions inside her head such as 'So what do you think of the Lima siege?' or 'Did you know that RFK was assassinated on June 6, 1968?' Anything would do as long as she could keep a few words from him in the air. The silence between them only contributed to her discomfort. She glanced at him once in a while and saw that he was staring straight ahead. She wasn't sure if he wanted to take her somewhere and for what purpose but after some thought, she was thankful that he had asked in the first place. As she went back to replaying her questions and deliberating if they sounded interesting enough, he stopped and leaned against the sea foam green wall.

She looked at him cautiously with her hands at her sides. She wondered if he was all right and contemplated on whether or not she should ask or actually approach him. "Rei?" Her concern triumphed. "Are you all right?"

He remained silent with his head tilted slightly to the floor. He seemed to be in deep thought. Her fingers were trembling. "Rei?"

She approached him timidly and set her hand near his heart, in the middle of his chest. "Rei?"

At that moment, Rei opened his eyes and inhaled. Aya felt his chest rise against her hand, an experience more personal than the words that could describe it. He looked at her with such focus she was starting to worry. Then, he smiled softly and opened his mouth to speak. "Kizuki Takahashi. He had you, didn't he?"

Aya's hand fell from his chest, her fingertips barely brushing his abdomen, but he caught it gently in his and held on to her reassuringly. She felt her eyes dilate and her heart race beneath her skin. Her memories rushed through her mind like jets. She looked at him as if he were a plague and started to step back but was unable to because he was still holding her. "What?"

His smile fell from his face. He tightened his grip on her hand and pulled her against him. He crushed her form with his long arms. He was breathing against her lips. "Kizuki. Takahashi." He enunciated the name with fury. "He was your first."

Aya felt every tremor in her body and his. In a brief moment of awareness, she considered their position beautiful. She hadn't been this close to a man in months and she missed it. What was different now was that she was absolutely intoxicated with the man she was with now. She had some resemblance of a feeling with Kizuki but it was only transitory and she realized she was only staying with him because she feared him yet she was excited. She felt her thigh slide minimally against his with a spreading layer of sweat between them. His fingers were digging into her sides. She was looking into his eyes and it was pure energy – the intensity of the moment, his want for answers, her vulnerability.

Amidst all the pleasure from their situation, she cursed herself. She felt like a sinner, having been with a man eight years her senior, a man who was notorious for his crimes whatever they were. She felt dirty for giving herself to him, for wanting to be the sole receiver of all his fetishes. She would have succumbed to anything he suggested without question but with anticipation. She trembled beneath Rei's warmth and his demands. She felt she was on the brink of crying and she was. Letting the tears fall, she let her chest rise dramatically against his, gasping for air and release. "He was." She whispered, closing her eyes. "I was his and I enjoyed it." She said boldly, feeling resigned and weak.

His eyes softened at her confession. He lowered her gently to the ground but held her face in his hands. At the moment she opened her eyes again, he swiftly leaned in and kissed her. He crushed her lips to his with his hand at the back of her head. The two of them crashed into the wall. Aya, shocked but still responsive, surrendered herself. She didn't know what she was doing or why. In the heat of the moment, all she could register was Rei. Just him. Everything blurred and went away.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer if that had been any more possible. His hands touched her where they could. He lifted her legs and wrapped it around his waist. "Aya," He whispered, between heated kisses. "Don't think about him ever again." He made his way down to her neck, taking in that she smelled like sunscreen lotion and felt like cotton, and bit her gently. "Did you hear me?" He licked the reddening skin.

She moaned as he moved his hips against her. She bit her bottom lip as he crossed her chest with his lips. His hands were strongly attached to her back, keeping her pressed to him. The wonderful dizziness spread through her head and her body responded automatically under his touch. It was as if her whole person had been waiting for him and was perfect for him. It was incredible - the way his body could ignite flames in her. She felt she could not hide anything more from him. She decided that if he wanted to know about everything in her life, every insignificant detail, she would gladly oblige. If he ordered, she would comply. Aya felt herself yield more to him as he kissed her on her bruising lips again. It seemed he didn't even paused for breath and she felt her upper body shiver.

He had pulled the strings loose from her bikini. He had kissed all over – her neck, her shoulders, the space between her breasts. She was shimmering with sweat and the light from the ceiling. She looked drunk and he found that it only made him harder. Like a mere touch or look from him would get her inebriated and he loved it. When he touched a part of her, she responded accordingly, sweetly. When he kissed her, she kissed him back with as much fervor and passion as he did. He couldn't believe he had waited this long to experience kissing her and having her in his arms. He couldn't believe that his jealousy was so slow in coming and that he needed to get jealous to muster the courage and sheer need to have her all on his own.

He only saw Aya as a girl like all the others after he had been included in that ridiculous contest or poll or whatever it was. She was more timid compared to the lunatics that followed him around with customized shirts that had his face in the middle. She was _too _timid and was always too quiet whenever he was around. He couldn't approach her due to the fact that he thought she was one of the fanatics, only a different version of them. He couldn't believe how his love life had changed. He didn't really have one and ever since that poll, he couldn't afford to keep one. His whole view on girls had changed. He had to consider that any girl he met would either have a hidden agenda or was just mesmerized with his person on the covers of magazines. They were blinded by glossy profile pages. He was choking from the superficiality of it all.

From the beginning, he thought Aya was considerate. Not because he was always hounded by the press and hordes of screaming girls but because he felt she understood him somewhat. She didn't bother him when he wanted to be alone or didn't want to talk at all. She respected his personal space. She wasn't the type to coerce him into a relationship. She was someone he could trust. But what she didn't see was that he was so lonely. He envied Ran and Tatsuki because of their openly affectionate relationship and Miyu and Ran's brother because what they had is going to last for a long time. Even though he told the reporters he wasn't really looking, he wanted someone to be with, to share life with. If ever news went out that he wanted a girlfriend, his social life would then become dangerous to his health. He didn't consider himself a romantic at any level but anyone would want to have someone to love them. He felt he had more to offer in a relationship. He had enough friends. He wanted something more.

As he was starting to move Aya away from the wall with him to a more private location, he heard glass shatter. He turned his head gently to the left and saw that a waitress was standing at the end of the hallway with her hand over her mouth. She was blushing. He took in a big gulp of air as they both stared at each other. He hadn't concerned himself with breathing in worry that if he took things slow Aya would remember they could be seen and what they could be seen doing. The drinks were spreading on the floor in a big pool of pink and orange. He let Aya down from him but he took hold of her around her waist as he guided them in the direction of the surprised waitress. As he passed her, he nodded in apology. The waitress followed them with her eyes, blushing more as the seconds passed.

When they turned around a corner and disappeared from her view, she hastily took her phone from her pocket. "Hello? Hitomi? You will never guess who I just saw kissing a girl. Guess! Oh my god, I'm so hot from just watching him…"

* * *

"I think she knows who you are, Rei."

They were walking in another hallway. Rei spotted a janitor's closet somewhere along this floor the last time he went to the town center.

"I don't care." He said to her, keeping her close, feeling the warmth escape from her body.

"Aren't you worried if this gets out?" Again, she was concerned for him. Every time they met, she always sounded so concerned. He was touched and he realized he wanted more than just her concern.

"No." He replied as he turned the doorknob to the closet and literally pulled her in.

Before Aya could explain how bad it would be for him with the new publicity, he kissed her again with as much ferocity as the first time. She immediately fell into kissing him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders again. He lifted her up when his hands went around her back and inched their way down to the backs of her thighs. He carried her around with him as he looked for a place they could lie down. He found a small bench at the corner of his eye and sat on it with her straddling his lap. He kissed the corner of her mouth and looked at her intensely, her body so beautiful to him. She felt his hands move all over her sides until they settled on her hips. He glanced at his fingers as they twirled the black straps that held the bottom half of her bikini. He looked at her again, loving her with his eyes. She was ready for him; he could feel it. He never knew how much he wanted her until this moment. He was almost scared of what they were about to do. He feared her body wouldn't accept him or she would regret it later. But if she gave any indication of apprehension similar to his, she hid it well.

As he pulled slowly on the strings, he heard her sigh and that was all it took to captivate him fully. Her tiny bathing suit peeled away like a layer of skin. He openly gaped in wonder at her breasts, the shadows on her skin, her womanhood. He felt his hardness strain against his board shorts. He grew more animated when her slender fingers unbuttoned his shorts and pulled away one strip of Velcro. He exhaled when his erection was free from restraint. Furthermore, she was so small compared to him. It only turned him on more when her breast fit in his hand perfectly. It was humble in its own simplicity.

All through the experience, they kept silent. Only her moans and his grunts would echo through the room. He had entered her in a sublime fashion, as he had been reawakened from a most brilliant dream. She moved to and fro from him as if she had loved and laid with him her whole life, like from infancy they were meant to be together. When it became really good for her, she made it known to him through her kisses, through her moans, through the way her fingers would dig and drag across his back (he had always dreamt of a woman like this). He timed his kisses with his thrusts and it seemed this process caused her to elicit the sounds he liked to hear again and again. The friction combined with the building heat inside the closet made them hunger for each other more. He wanted to feel her in her most climatic moments of pleasure. He wanted to become as much a part of her life as he was now in her body. He wanted to be with her after this was through.

"Aya." He managed to whisper.

Hearing her name from him caused her to shiver deliciously. She had never felt so sensitized and alert in her whole history of sexual experience. He received her with enthusiasm and she was more confident in expressing her pleasure with her body. When she was with Kizuki, she felt wholly submissive while he called all the shots. She didn't mind at first since she didn't know anything first-hand about sex but as time went by she wanted to identify her sexual nature as much as he had. She too wanted to explore her boundaries and the possibilities that one can derive pleasure from. Oftentimes, when she was with Kizuki, she would imagine herself with other men, others who weren't pierced or looked menacing all the time, men like Rei. As she was clutching at Rei now with all her heart and ability, she realized she should have separated from Kizuki sooner. She should have never begun a relationship – or whatever it was – with him. She could have waited for Rei and could have given herself to him first. She liked the thought immediately but as tainted as she was, knew he was never going to look at that possibility proudly.

Thinking about her loss, a tear slipped from her eye. Rei kissed the fallen tear when it reached her jaw. She held on to him more tightly, his head on her shoulder, his kisses directed behind her ear. She gasped to signal him she was close and he understood with his body as he made his thrusts more deliberate. They came close together, Aya felt the passion erupt comprehensively and Rei followed in one thrill-filled shift of their bodies, both of them arching to the other, their hearts beating in unison.

Rei kept her close, breathing between her breasts. Their bodies were drenched with sweat. As he regained his perception, he noted her breasts were still receptive to his ministrations and that discovery made him hard again. Aya felt him stiffen inside her. She caressed his head; his hair and temple were damp. He smoothed her hair away from her face and neck, breathing heavily. He looked at her with new established compassion. In his eyes, he held an agreement to be with her. He would cherish her like no man she had, had ever before. He smiled, completely content just to be near her.

She smiled in return and they both relaxed. She traced his features with her hands, outlining his eyes, lips. He tilted his head wherever she moved her hand and she was amused because in their hour together there appeared to be so much love.

* * *

She stood before him naked as he tied the strings to her bikini. He asked quite meekly if he could dress her himself and she allowed him, blushing energetically. She turned around when he needed to tie the strings on her back and as he did, he kissed her along the thin, linear depression where her spine was. He turned her back around to face him with his hands on her hips. As she handed him the bottom half of her bikini, she noticed his brow was slowly creasing. 

"What's wrong?" She asked, taking note of the fact that her lips felt a little sore and she couldn't be happier about it.

He examined the rest of her bikini, running it along his fingers. "This is…"

"What is it?" She asked, nervously.

He looked at her in deep consideration. "This is the smallest bikini I've ever held. I love it on you. You should never wear anything else. In fact, you shouldn't wear anything at all anymore. This is so goddamned small..." He said, obviously in awe.

After a few seconds of silence, they both laughed together. He kissed her again before finally tying the two remaining strings together. Ever since they noticed that they had spent an hour and a half together, their kisses gradually became gentle, meaningful and not repetitions of the fevered ones when they were having sex. He touched her as if she was his girlfriend and lover and she fell exactly into that role even though neither of them confirmed anything serious.

He caressed her legs. "Aya, I have to explain."

"Explain?" One of her hands was stroking his head and neck.

"For mentioning Kizuki. For…this."

Aya understood immediately. She somewhat feared he would explain how he regretted what they had done but he didn't seem to want her to leave his side. "Okay."

He beckoned her silently to straddle his lap again. As she made herself comfortable, he leaned on the wall and continued to run his hands on her legs. "I heard about him when he went back here a couple of days ago. He assaulted a student at my school in an alley."

"Oh no." Aya exclaimed. Hearing he was back made her shudder a good deal. What if he was looking for her or Ran, seeking for revenge?

"Don't worry. He was drunk and he wandered over here from another city. He was arrested, of course. My classmate was somehow related to him. He was even part of Kizuki's gang for a while. He told me all about Kizuki's idiosyncrasies, his women. Your name came across the table. In a nutshell, I got pissed, I stormed out and I got drunk myself."

"Why did you react like that?"

They were having the discussion as if they were choosing over buying a new television set or a water tank. "Well," He replied, kissing her jaw. "Let's just say the cookies were a nice incentive."

As much as she was enjoying his kisses, she had questions. "What do you really mean? I mean, a nice incentive? Then that would pertain to you having, I don't know, feelings for me. But you didn't like me then."

He looked at her, a little taken back. "I never said I didn't like you, Aya. I wasn't sure if I loved you before but the feeling was here." He moved her hand to his chest.

"So you were jealous?"

"Yes."

"Of Kizuki?"

"Yes."

"Because…you felt something for me?"

"Correct."

"And do you still have a crush on Ran?"

"What?"

"A crush on Ran."

"Hell no."

"So it's only Kizuki?"

"Yes." He was trying to find where she was ticklish.

"And this would explain you ravishing my body?"

"When you make it sound like that…"

"I'm just trying to understand."

"Well, sort of. If you rephrase and make it sound more non-sexual assault then the answer would be yes."

"And this would also explain the radical change in conduct?"

"Conduct?"

"Well, you came up to me and invited me for a walk. You blurt out a man whom I did not expect you ever to know. You led me to a hallway and I daresay I will reiterate, ravished my body."

"Made love to your body sounds infinitely better."

"Main point is you were jealous?"

He nodded.

"I don't believe you."

"Aya," He said, firmly. "We just made love. In a closet, not the most romantic place but still we made love. If I didn't feel anything for you, I wouldn't have dragged you here."

"But after months of staying away from me, you suddenly…feel something. I can't believe it."

"All right." Rei, as others may have known already, was not a romantic but he could put his thoughts in very organized sentences. "You were the first girl who didn't chase me around with a _MARRY ME, PRINCE REI_ banner or those with more color, _I WANT TO HAVE YOUR BABIES, REI_. You didn't even know I was in that moronic contest. You treated me with due respect. Though I thought you were just another fan girl, I was proven wrong and today I stand corrected. I know you won't play around with me, Aya. You'll look me in the eye and tell me about anything. I'm not perfect. I'm not nice either. I can be a real ass when I don't like something, I'm sure you already know this. I want you because you're sincere. I'm sorry if I've only realized this now. The rest of Shibuya has seen the articles and the publicity and are after an image that will never be real. I want you because you know who I really am. I'm prepared to let you in like I've never let anyone in before. I think I can say I love you but these verbal confessions can wait until we've settled comfortably with each other. So, am I making sense?"

She was smiling at him, her fingers curling around his hair. "It's still a bit hard to believe. I didn't see any of it coming."

"I didn't see it coming either until a week ago. I was thinking. News of you with that creep bothered me incredibly. I didn't think it would affect me at all. After I heard it, I got drunk for reasons I didn't know. I dragged Yuya along and we went to a bar. Twenty beer bottles straight and a lot of whiskey. Yuya asked what the hell was wrong with me. I said I didn't know. I went home, slept for about three hours and had the most deathly hangover ever. Took a few pills and coffee and I started to think about it. As I've told you, the feeling was already here. It was just waiting to rise with a reason to, I suppose. I heard you two were more than friends, I just couldn't take it. I mean, no one would have guessed you to be that kind of girl, Aya. It was nice having you have those feelings for me. I liked it and I liked you for it. Finally, a normal girl without a lie behind her back wanted me." At this, she laughed and he kissed her.

He kept their foreheads together. "I realized I wouldn't be your first anything anymore. First kiss, first touch, first man in your sheets. I guess I was worried I would be compared with Kizuki and I didn't want that. I wanted you all to myself. If anyone was to have you, it would be me. That was what I thought from the beginning. I guess that would be one of the primary reasons."

She focused on him steadily. More and more she understood him and his sudden burst of emotion. "I really never saw it coming. Remember when we were at the mall a few days ago? You barely said two words to me."

He kissed her cheek. Her skin wasn't as warm as before. He ran his hands up and down the sides of her thin torso. "I still couldn't believe you and Kizuki were _that_ close. I didn't talk to you, yes. But I stared at you like a rapist if you looked my way."

"Rapist?" She repeated playfully, carefully arching her eyebrow.

"Well," He made a so-so motion with his head. "Hannibal Lecter-ish. I just want you to know I'm not manipulating your feelings nor am I trying to let you down easy. I want you, Aya. Perhaps I even love you. Plain, simple truth. If you'll have me."

She examined his face as he said these words then smiled. Maybe it was time she let a man in again. "Perhaps I even love you too, Rei. But this isn't what I expected this to be. I know life isn't a movie or anything but we're sort of too…casual about this. Frankly, we had sex inside a janitor's closet after you've reminded me quite cruelly about an ex-lover and you expect me to understand you right off the bat."

"Still, Aya," She was getting used to him saying her name at least once per sentence. "I know you liked it and I know you still like me. I feel the same way, maybe more strongly than you do. Maybe that's why I'm so calm about this because, and I'm not being cocky, I know you won't mind if you start a relationship with me right now. I want you to. I want people to start referring to you and me as a collective pronoun. For example, 'us' or 'they'. If I'm freaking you out, you can slap me right now."

"No, you're not freaking me out." She said evenly. "About time this happened, actually."

He curiously raised an eyebrow but gradually his eyes softened. "I don't' know if I'm rushing into this too fast or whatever. All I know is I want you. I'm prepared to serenade, write love letters, anything even though I may be terrible with those things and as a fair warning I advise you not to make me serenade or write love letters. Nonetheless, I can make you happy, Aya. I know I can and I will, most certainly."

She looked into his eyes for a long time. She knew he wasn't lying and that every single word had been honest, straight from his head and his heart. He didn't grow impatient with waiting for her answer. They both simply remained quiet as she contemplated. He would touch her here and there but only to assure himself that she really had the most important choice in the matter, that if she refused him at least he had a chance to please her. She looked at him finally and stroked his cheek.

"Okay." And she smiled.

For the first time in weeks, she saw him grin from ear to ear. He looked down, still smiling, as if he were shy. She found that it was the cutest thing. Taking his face in her hands, she kissed him slowly, deeply, a meaningful exchange of emotions from the same root. They leisurely separated, both satisfied yet yearning for more.

"This is kind of funny." Aya said, her lips titling upward.

"Funny?"

"Yes. We've never had a real first date. Well, one when our feelings were mutual. No phone conversations. No warning whatsoever. It's like we skipped first and second base and proceeded right to third. We're doing everything backwards."

Rei gave her a surprised albeit innocent look. "I guess you're right. But I do have one more thing to confess."

"And that is?" She stroked his head gently.

He paused for a moment, taking all of her in. He never realized she could be so stunning without make-up, jewelry or any of the excessive junk Ran was able to paste on her face. In her tiny black bikini that clung to her securely, he wanted to drink her all in. He wanted to frame this moment and never forget it. She looked at him as if she could grow old with him, like they had all the time in history and they didn't have to rush into anything. Her skin was so pale compared to his but he appreciated her modesty so far. Her alabaster skin complimented her eyes and her incredibly soft hair. Her lips were the color of pink icing. She had two, small diamond earrings. They were probably heirlooms. Right then, her fingernails were clean; there wasn't a trace of nail polish. Even the way she sighed made him want to smile. He felt, then and there, that even one moan or whisper or touch from her would undo him.

"I suppose," He began seriously. "I have always wanted you to love me, Aya. At one point, crazily, insanely, like you were one of those girls. I sort of wanted you to want me as much I as I want you now. Aside from being an ass, I'm a jealous ass but I hope that doesn't worry you. I won't lock you in a basement or anything. You know, force feed you with my scrambled eggs and my affection."

She laughed and he too chuckled at his own joke.

"But I will feel neglected if you start paying the waiter, the bus driver, the old nice veteran more attention than me."

"I really don't think I'll fit into the bus driver's wife role. Maybe the lover of an old war hero but bus driver, I can't imagine."

"I'm being serious here."

She looked at him with a grin. "Rei, come on. You don't have to worry about me flirting with anyone. I can barely flirt in front of the mirror."

He shrugged. His face though calm was devoid of any indication of repartee. "Being with me is a tough job. I'll make it easier for you, I swear."

Smiling, she started to remove herself from his embrace. "Any relationship isn't easy even to those who claim it is; its compromise and love and trust and forgiveness. It's not enough that we tolerate each other." She led him out the door and into the blinding fluorescent light. "We have to acknowledge our flaws and abilities and work with what we have."

He kissed her forehead as they made their way through the hallways.

"We have to remember it's not always going to be good." She said to him. "We're not going to agree on everything. But we have to try to get past those problems." As she saw the EXIT sign to the pool, she stopped and turned to him. "Because at the end of the day…"

She paused. She wet her lips slightly and looked down at his hand at her waist. "At the end of the day…" She took in a breath of air. "At the end of the day, I love you."

At that moment, a searing flash of white light caused the two of them to shield their eyes. Rei knew they would come. It had only been a matter of time. He should have warned Aya but their moment together had been too intimate to ruin. The waitress may have had a hand in spreading the news. He quickly oriented himself and reached for Aya, hugging her to his chest as he shielded her face from the flares of the paparazzi cameras. He managed to shove his way through a couple of them but they were hounding him at all directions, a whole crowd of them had gathered. Some of them even went as far as standing on the diving boards to get their money shot. His forearm as a temporary shield couldn't ward off twenty of them crowding in on him. As a desperate move to get his girlfriend out and into a car, he crouched down and slid his arm under her legs. He carried her firmly, allowing her to bury her head into his neck.

They seemed to allow him more space since they were given the hint that the girl he was carrying was in too much discomfort. However, a few of them grew more interested in Rei's dedication to escape their cameras. Rei was about to curse at them for blatantly invading him like never before. Two of the lifeguards seemed to be pushing the crowd to reach him and Aya and he saw this as a sign of relief. He turned to his side and started shoving a few of the paparazzi with his shoulder, being cautious not to injure Aya's knees.

When the lifeguards reached him and physically shielded him and his girlfriend, they ushered him hurriedly out of the town center. Ready to speed off, a van was running in the driveway. Ran and Miyu's heads were poking from a window. As they saw Rei and Aya approaching they opened the door wide. They were yelling at him to move faster and he complied, feeling a camera thud painfully against his shoulder. He practically jumped in the van and heard the door close the instant he turned his head to check on Aya.

She stuck her head out a bit, looking dazed and shaken. Her attention immediately transferred to Rei whose main concern was her too. She checked his face for injury, running her fingers as lightly as she could over his cheeks and his forehead. When she found none, she proceeded with the rest of his body. He winced slightly as she applied pressure to an area of his shoulder. Her eyes grew wide with alarm and she began to squirm in his arms and lap.

"Don't worry." He said to her, laying his head back on the chair, visibly exhausted. "I'm okay. Are you hurt? Does anything hurt?"

"I'm fine. You, are you all right? My god." She replied, still confused, her hands running all over his head. "What happened?"

"I would like to ask the same question too." Yuya said, opposite Rei. "Man, what did you do to get that much attention, huh? All of them suddenly looked like they took steroids and you were the finish line!"

Miyu turned to Aya, the look in her eyes told everyone she was quite afraid. "Aya, oh my god, are you okay? We can go to the hospital. Or a clinic. Or wherever. Are you all right?"

Ran was pounding her fist into her open palm. "Don't worry Aya. Once I get a hold of their names through the police archives I'm gonna pounce on them like a lion from a hunger strike."

"Hey!" Yamato exclaimed, checking the blackening bruise on Rei's shoulder. "You can't do that."

"Why not?" Ran was sharing suspicious looks with Miyu. "Miyu and I can take those guys like cake."

"The archives. I meant the archives."

Tatsuki made an especially sharp turn, nervous that the paparazzi had the idea of following their van. "Sorry…" He mumbled as she shifted to second gear.

As Rei was checking for any wounds on Aya's legs, Yuya's cellphone beeped. Annoyed that it could be his mother or a girl who sent him a message 'by mistake', he angrily pressed the READ NOW button. His eyes turned as big as dinner plates. "Woah…now I can totally sympathize with those guys." All of the occupants of the van turned their heads to him with the exception of Tatsuki who was trying to remember where Ran told him to go.

"What?" Ran expertly snatched the phone away from him. She found she was staring at three photos wherein one, Aya and Rei were holding hands, inches away from one another. The second, Rei was evidently either giving Aya mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or a steamy French kiss. Lastly, the third, in which, the two in question were entangled with one another at Rei's waist, a more than acceptable follow up to the second photo. Ran's face turned a bright cherry red and she started to fan herself. "Yeah, me too. Definitely sympathize. Definitely…"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Rei said, pushing Aya's hair away from her face to see if she was indeed fine.

After Miyu and Yamato had glanced at the photos and the two of them blushed when they looked at each other, Ran held the phone out to Rei and proceeded to show him what had caused the media frenzy.

"Shit." Rei cursed, feeling troubled in his seat.

"The waitress." Aya reminded him, feeling more nervous than embarrassed.

Yuya retrieved his cellphone back and checked the rest of the message. "Dude, erm, you're not gonna like this."

"Kuroi," Rei shouted. "Make a left, three turns to the right, and left again. Drop us off at my place." He looked at Aya and silently asked for approval of his plan to which she nodded. He turned to Yuya. "Not going to like what?"

"Those teen magazine reporters. They're going to be chewing at your ass, man."

Rei was looking terribly tired and annoyed. "We're not full-blown celebrities, Yuya. We just happened to be in that ludicrous poll that circulated around too much. I'll tell them whatever they want and this'll end before the next celebrity couple starts. They can't care _that_ much for a highschool student's love life. They're chasing after the wrong people, the morons. Tatsuki, damn it, slow down, will you? They're not AK47s, they're digital cameras."

Rei looked at Aya. They smiled at each other.

* * *

cookies - I watched a show. Aya gave Rei cookies or something. Brownies. Haha. I can't remember.

**To Be Continued…**

Along with three chapters of Redemption (yes, I'm keeping them all) and two chapters of Reaching To Touch You. Haha. Sorry. Hint at next update: JULY.


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